An accelerometer is an electromechanical device that will measure static (gravity) or dynamic (motion or vibration) acceleration forces. Major applications requiring accelerometers can be classified as seismic, vibration, inertial or tilt sensing.

There are various technologies used to manufacture miniaturized sensors (bulk micromachining, surface micromachining, piezoelectric, piezoresistive, thermal-

mechanical, plated structures, etc.), but they are not all equivalent in terms of cost-effectively and reliably addressing applications that require both high performance and robust operation.